On media.

Bonds bonds, and we get sick

The third episode of ESPN's "Bonds on Bonds" didn't show Barry Bonds handing out Thanksgiving turkeys to the poor or bringing boxes of clothes to the Salvation Army.

Perhaps the producers are saving that for the finale.

What we did get Tuesday was Bonds' pathetic attempt to play the role of victim, a why-are-they-doing-this-to-me story line replete with shots attempting to portray Bonds as a loving father and husband.

The first show, at least, had news value. Bonds slammed his father, Bobby, for harsh motivational methods, calling him a "wacko." Bonds also revealed violent tendencies, saying: "Right now with all the [stuff] I've been through, dude, I could just, like, literally, just kill somebody."

But now we're getting shots of Bonds holding hands with his wife. Of him observing his daughter ride a bike and professing his love for his son.

"I want my kids to have lesser of a headache than I have," Bonds says. "Somebody has to take on the bullets, and if it's me, that's fine with me."

Awww . . .

We also get poor Barry ragging on the reporters who have the nerve to ask him about reports he will be indicted on charges of lying to a grand jury.

"I can't even walk into a locker room," he cries. "It's exhausting. It would be a lot nicer if they allowed me to be able to do my job."

Bonds barely addresses the perjury accusations and can't keep his story straight.

At one point he says: "If they want to call me, they'll get the same answer they got before."

Minutes later it's: "I'm never going to repeat what I said in the grand jury. That's what I'll live by for the rest of my life."

The producers of the show make no attempt to ask Bonds the real questions: What did you say to the grand jury? Given that your personal trainer pled guilty to conspiring to distribute steroids, why should we believe you're clean? Did you give a mistress $80,000 that wasn't reported to the IRS?

Weeks ago during a session on Dan Patrick's ESPN radio show, co-producer Mike Tollin tried to defend the nature of the series, saying: "It's not news; it's not journalism."